The present invention relates generally to the field of frequency hopping spread spectrum radio transmission. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for simultaneous transmission and reception of signals during frequency hopping spread spectrum radio transmission.
Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) is a method of transmitting radio signals by rapidly switching a carrier among many frequency channels using a pseudorandom sequence known to both transmitter and receiver. Spread spectrum signals are highly resistant to noise and interference, are difficult to intercept, and can share a frequency band with many types of conventional transmissions with minimal interference.
In a frequency hopping system, a transmitter “hops” between available frequencies according to a specified algorithm, which can be either random or preplanned. The transmitter operates in synchronization with a receiver, which remains tuned to the same center frequency as the transmitter. A short burst of data is transmitted on a narrow frequency band. Then, the transmitter tunes to another frequency and transmits again. The receiver thus is capable of hopping its frequency over a given bandwidth several times a second, receiving on one frequency for a certain period of time, then hopping to another frequency and receiving again. Frequency hopping requires a much wider bandwidth than is needed to transmit the same information using only one carrier frequency.
During transmission, a frequency hopping transceiver generates a signal that may be several orders of magnitude stronger than any received signals. The transmitted signal may be powerful enough to make simultaneous reception of received signals impossible, particularly where the received signal is received on the same or a nearby frequency as the signal being transmitted. However, simultaneous transmission and reception of signals in a frequency hopping system remains desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method allowing for simultaneous transmission and reception of signals in a frequency hopping system. Yet further, there is a need for such a system and method configured to assign a frequency to one of a plurality of transceivers based on a frequency of a second transmitter upon which a signal is being received. There is further a need for such system and method wherein the one of a plurality of transceivers is selected based on a desired isolation level.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.